The US Small Business Administration offers a variety of loan programs to help small businesses. SBA loans are for very speficic purposes, so it is important that you select the right program for your business.

Attend this this seminar presented by lending specialist Ejaz Syed of BMO Harris Bank. With 20 years in commercial banking, Mr. Syed will help you navigate the path to SBA loans. You will learn about the various SBA programs to see which one applies to your business needs, and learn how to qualify for these programs. BMO Harris is a preferred SBA lender.

Supplier Diversity Workshop - What is Blue Cross Blue Shield Looking for in a Good Vendor?

How would you like Blue Cross Blue Shield to be your next customer? In this seminar, Cross Blue Shield's Supplier Diversity Manager LaTonya Fourte-Lyles will show you what opportunities they have for small businesses and what it will take to be a good vendor to them.

Blue Cross Blue Shield is the largest health insurance company in Illinois, providing more than 7.3 million members with health plans. It is a division of Health Care Service Corporation, the largest customer-owned health insurance company in the United States. The company seeks to work with qualified Minority-Owned and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) and Small and Disadvantage Businesses (SADBUS) as primary suppliers or as second-tier suppliers.

If you're looking to take your business to the next level, consider private equity or venture capital. Many companies have achieved rapid growth through strategic private equity infusion.

Meet Mike Anguiano and Tom Straw - industry veterans of Fortune 500 Supplier Diversity and Wall Street who are looking for the following types of businesses for investment.

Established businesses with over $10M in revenue. You'll learn how private equity can help with strategic acquisitions, import/export, global growth, development/acquisition of Real Estate and much more;

Business with a technology and strong intellectual property protection. You'll learn how to best position your company to the venture capital community for investment and identifying the right capital provider.

Also meet attorney Lou Amatucci who has years of experience helping businesses grow. He will bring valuable insights.

Learn about the Federal and State programs, loans and insurance programs that can help you expand internationally. Mary Ma of the SBA Illinois International Trade Center will give an overview on how to use State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) program to expand your business globally. Meet the Honorable Patricia M. Loui, Member of the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, who will speak on global access for small businesses.

Get Recognized and Get Ahead: Career-Advancement Strategies for Asian-American Professionals

If you want to get ahead in your career, don't miss this workshop presented by Brandon Noel. He teaches strategies that you can immediately apply to business situations to deal with difficult organizational problems especially in areas of cultural competence.

Presented by Brandon Noel

10:00 AM

Field Room
(15 seats)

10

The Networking Room

Anyone is welcome to use this room.

10:00 AM

Expo Center
(100 seats)

11

Second-Generation Leadership in Korean-American Businesses

Second-generation Korean-American business leaders discussing their challenges and outlook on growth and advancement.

This seminar not only will greatly improve your chances of getting approved for a business loan but also at an attractive interest rate.

A team of experts from Bank of America will help you understand the credit and application process, pit-falls of SBA Loans, ratio lending, advantages of business credit cards and separate business accounts, using operating, payroll and merchant accounts, specialized programs, international currencies and Visas, as well as obtaining a residential loan as a small business owner.

Moderator: Jeff Scholly, Retail Sales Manager, Bank of America

Panelists:

Mike Arena

Tenny Ahn

Cindy

11:00 AM

Alumni Lounge
(50 seats)

14

Supplier Diversity - What is ComEd Looking for in a Good Vendor?

How would you like ComEd to be your next customer? In this seminar, ComEd will show you what opportunities they have for small businesses and what it will take to be a good vendor to them.

A group of Asian-American corporate managers are groomed for C-level positions. This workshop addresses the barriers that Asian
Americans face and how they can overcome them to reach the highest level in a corporate environment or achieve the greatest potential as entrepreneurs.

Most people don't do enough with LinkedIn to find opportunities. Attend this workshop by JD Gershbein - the undisputed expert on LinkedIn. As seen on TV and often quoted by reporters, JD has enlightened thousands of senior executives, managers, entrepreneurs and sales professionals on the astonishing power of LinkedIn. JD does not work for LinkedIn. He is a social media strategist with unique insight into this powerful forum.

Interested in learning how to prepare your elevator speech so others understand who you are and the “Value Proposition” your business offers? Come join Gregg Oshita, president of GPS-Consulting Group, who will discuss the key points you want to include in your personal commercial commonly known as the elevator speech. You will also learn the importance of a personal brand, and how to cultivate relationships that will help you more effectively market your skills or business.

Borrowing capital at a low rate provides more options and flexibility for all business owners, but there are specific keys when going through the lending process. In this session, we will focus on the specific needs of the audience, answer questions, and discuss real scenarios. Then, we will share some of the common criteria for obtaining credit, discuss mitigating factors to strengthen loan requests, and answer specific questions on financing.

Presenter: Peter Kim
VP, Business Banker

Contributors:

Amit Gupta

Blanca Duarte, Branch Manager

12:45 PM

Alumni Lounge
(50 seats)

23

Advanced Business Strategies: How to Increase Value and Reduce Risks

Do you know how much your business is worth? What happens when a key employee leaves? How should you prepare your business for sale or succession? You work hard to build your business. You should protect it by limiting its risk exposure so that you increase the value of your business. This seminar features a panel of experts who will offer best practices in business management.

Hear from the experts where the real estate market is going in the next 2 to 3 years! Learn the different investment strategies geared for both new and sophisticated investors in the residential and commercial sectors.

Build your portfolio of single family homes, turn foreclosures into investment opportunities, financing for specialized commercial properties such as gas stations, hotels, restaurants, EB-5 opportunities!! Get new ideas and don't miss out!!

Moderated by Asian Rea Estate Association of America

12:45 PM

Auditorium
(300 seats)

25

The Affordable Care Act: How It May Affect Your Business

Effective January 1, 2014, employers with 50 or more full-time employees will either provide affordable health insurance or pay a penalty. Employers with fewer than 50 full-time employees may purchase health insurance through an insurance exchange. Small businesses that provide health insurance for their employees may receive a tax credit. Now is the time to reevaluate your health care policy so that it complies with the law, helps control costs and protects your employees.

Established business leaders from diverse industries will be sharing their best lessons learned through years in business. These are lessons people usually have to learn the hard way, so don't miss this insightful discussion.

Meet America’s largest lender of business loans! Attend the workshop by Sue Malone - the largest SBA lender in the country. Sue Malone is the founder of Strategies for Small Business. Her mission is to help businesses get capital. She has funded over 30,000 business loans. She also makes sure the voices of small businesses are heard in Washington DC.

You will uncover the five secrets for success when taking your business global. This session is presented by Koh Fujimoto of Corbett, Duncan & Hubly. As a CPA and an attorney with over 20 years of helping companies going global,
Mr. Fujimoto is very good at explaining complex subjects in simple language so that you will be able to grasp the information for immeidate implementation.

Effective January 1, 2014, employers with 50 or more full-time employees will either provide affordable health insurance or pay a penalty. Employers with fewer than 50 full-time employees may purchase health insurance through an insurance exchange. Small businesses that provide health insurance for their employees may receive a tax credit. Now is the time to reevaluate your health care policy so that it complies with the law, helps control costs and protects your employees.

The legend is that a 16-year-old Lana Turner was discovered at Schwab's Pharmacy's soda fountain. Many entrepreneurs believe that a perfect pitch will secure venture capital investment magically in the same manner as Lana Turner's discovery. This belief is as based in evidence as this Hollywood legend. Lana Turner was discovered at a soda counter. She was discovered at the counter located at the Top Hat Cafe. Just as most of the American public is mistaken about this fairy tale about Lana Turner, most are mistaken about startups, how to build a company, and how to approach investors for investment.

A good pitch is only one step in the process. This workshop will challenge perceptions about raising venture capital and startups and lead the workshop participants on the road to a true plan to grow a business. This workshop is a sequel to the "5 Keys to Venture Capital" workshop at the 2012 Asian American Business Expo taught by the same workshop leader Don Sheu.

1:45 PM

Field Room
(15 seats)

35

The Networking Room

Anyone is welcome to use this room to network.

1:45 PM

Expo Center
(100 seats)

36

Mentoring Asian-American Professionals (MAAP)

A group of Asian-American business professionals are groomed and mentored to prepared them for the next level in their careers.

2:45 PM - Introduction of contestants by Rose Tibayan of Blackline Review and Don Sheu of ThreeMice. Words of encouragement from Commissioner Mariyana Spyropoulos, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District

2:50 PM - Keynotes by Mike McGee, Co-Founder, Starter League - Winner of the Pitch Event at the 2011 Asian American Business Expo

Small business owners used to rely on unconventional loans to fund their business and personal needs. While the media has focused on the difficulties of getting financing and the lack of program flexibility due to increased regulation – the real picture can be quite different.

If you own a business and need financing, this is the workshop for you. Learn about Wells Fargo's Business Real Estate Financing program, Purchase and Renovate programs, enhanced Jumbo Mortgage program, as well as Down Payment Assistance programs for first time homebuyers.

Presented by Peter de Jong, Branch Manager, AVP, Wells Fargo

2:45 PM

Hermann Lounge
(40 seats)

40

How to Protect Your Business from Security Fraud

Most security frauds against businesses are caused by insiders. Intellectual property losses, payroll falsifications and even fraudulent purchases are plaguing businesses large and small. This seminar will highlight trends uncovered by the IBM's XForce security research team, and show you ways that you can implement to lower your business' exporue to security fraud.

The Asian American Business Expo is not-for-profit, and promotes entrepreneurship, leadership and job creation.

The Asian American Business Expo 2013 is in
partnership with OCA Chicago, Korean-American Association of Chicago, Association of Chinese-American Scientists and Engineers, Asian Real Estate Association of America, U.S. Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency, City of Chicago's Office of New Americans, and the Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council.